Improvement in apparatus for cleaning horses



2Sheets--Sheet?. 0. w. ALLISON & P'. HDMELIU'S.

Apparatus for Cleaning Horses. i No. 137,045. PatentedMarch25,1873.

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m jive/235m AM PII0T0-LITI1'0GRAPHI0 ca Myfamanwa's macsss) v 2Sheets--Sheet2. 0'. W. ALLISON & P. HOMELIU S. Apparatus for Cleaning Horses.

Patented March 25, 1873.

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V'Znaues M AM PHOTO-LITHOURAPHIL c0. mfasaalmsls Pnoczss) NITE .oso R w. ALLISON AND PAUL noMELiUs, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK,

' Assienons TO JAMES H. sMALL, or SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FQR CLEANING HORSES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Os'oAR W. ALLISON and PAUL HOMELIUS, both of the city of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Machines for Cleaning Horses, of which the following is a specification:

Our invention relates to the construction of a machine provided with arevolving brush,

driven by an endless belt in such manner that said brush can be readily brought in contact with all parts of the animal for the purpose of cleaning the same. Our invention consists, first, in the-combination, with a rotary brush provided with a suitable driving-pulley, and the main driving-shaft provided with a driving and a loose pulley, of two guide-pulleys, arranged at some distance from the drivingshaft, and an endless belt passing over said pulleys and over a weighted tension-pulley arranged in that portion of the endless belt which overhangs the guide-pulleys, so as to counterbalance the weight of the brush and connecting parts, whereby the same tension is always maintained in the endless belt, while the brush is enabled to be raised or lowered as required in cleaning the animal; second, in the combination, with each part of the endless driving-belt and the driving-pulley, of the rotary brush of four vertical guide-rollers, arranged at right angles to each other in a hollow tube or case so that the endless belt passes through the central space between said rollers, and is properly guided to the brushpulley in all positions of the brush; third, in the combination, with the rotary brush, driving -pulley, and hollow tube, provided with guide-rollers, of a bearing for the brush-shaft, provided with suitable guide rollers, and hinged to the lower end of the hollow tube in such manner as to enable the brush to be swung vertically while being operated fourth,

in the combination, with the driving and loose pulley of the main shaft, of a perforated guide, provided with friction rollers hung on said shaft so as to guide the endless belt tosaid pulleys in all positions of the brush, as hereinafter fully described; fifth, in the arrangement of a rotary brush on each side of the driving-pulley on a common shaft so that both brushes revolve in the same direction,

whereby both sides of the animal can be cleaned without reversing the motion of the machine.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure I is a side elevation of our improved machine, and Fig. II a front elevation thereof. Fig. 111 is a detached view of the main shaft and pulleys.

Fig. IV is a plan view, and Fig. V a front elevation thereof. Fig. VI is an elevation of the weighted tension -pulley. Fig. VII is a detachrd view of one brush, shaft, drivingpulley, and connecting parts. Fig. VIII is a horizontal section on line 00 90, Fig. VII. Fig. IX is a section on line 3 3 ,Fig. VIII. Fig. X is an elevation, showing the brush-pulley and guide-rollers thereof. Fig. XI is a plan view of the same. Fig. XII is a plan view, showing a'modified meansof driving the brushshaft.

Like letters of reference designate like parts in each of the several figures.

a is the main shaft, to which motion is transmitted from any suitable prime mover by means of a belt, (0 running over a tight and loose pulley, a (R. It is supported in suitable bearings b, and carries a tight driving-pulley, O, the groove of which is preferably made V-shaped, and a loose pulley, O, constructed with a semicircular groove. D is a guide,

hung on' the shaft a, and provided with friction -rollers 01, between whichpass the two parts of the endless cord or belt which run over the pulleys O O. E is a guide-pulley, arranged with the driving-pulley G to increase the length of driving-belt in contact with the latter. It is preferably mounted loosely on a shaft, 0, secured to. the lever e by which the main driving-belt a is shifted. FF represent two guide-pulleys, arranged at a suitable distance from the main shaft a, in a horizontal line therewith, so as to correspond with the pulleys C and O. G G are the revolving brushes, secured to a common shaft, g, and g a cord pulley arranged on the latter centrally between the brushes G. H is the tensionpulley, mounted in a bearing or case, h, so as to revolve freely therein, said case being provided with a weight, It, sufficient to counterbalance the weight of the brushes and concomitant parts, and the frictional resistance of the pulleys. f is the endless cord 7 or driving belt which transmits the motion from the main shaft a to the brushp'ulley g. The belt f runs under the guide pulley E over the driving pulley O; thence downward around the brush-pulley g, upward over the loose pulley G, thence horizontally over the guide-pulley F, downward around the weighted tension-pulley H, and upward over the other guide-pulley F to the guide-pulley E. The guide-pulleys F F should be arranged at such a distance from the main shaft a. that the weighted pulley H will not come in contact with the animal which is being cleaned. I represents a hollow tube or case, through which the endless cord f is guided to the brush-pulley g. It is provided at its upper end with an enlargement, I, which contains, preferably, seven vertical guide-rollers, z, arranged at right angles to each other, as clearly shown in Figs. VII, VIII, and IX. The endless cord passes through the spaces i between every set of four guide-rollers, the central roller being in contact with both portions of the cord f so that the latter is secure ly guided at that point against displacement in any direction, the guide-rollers running in close contact with each other. K is the hearing through which the brush-shaft 9 passes. It serves at the same time as a handle for operating the brush, and incloses the drivingpulley g, with the exception of the opening at the top through which the endless belt passes, as clearly shown in Figs. VII and X. The portion K of the case K located above the cord-pulley g is enlarged, and contains four guide-rollers, k, by which the endless cord is guided to and from the pulley g. The portion K is hinged to the lower end of the tube I by means of two pivots, 1, arranged in a horizontal line with the centers of the guide-rollers 70, so that the brushes can be swung vertically on said pivots without causing the cord f to run off the pulley g. m is the outer handle of each brush, in which the shaft g loosely turns.

In Fig. XII the brush-shaft g is shown as connected with the cord-pulley g by a pair of bevel-wheels, n, and an intermediate shaft, 0. It is evident that the brushes may be revolved around the latter as an axis while being operated, thus dispensing with the use of the jointed portion K for that purpose.

Operation.

The motion of the main shaft (0 and drivingpulley (Jis transmitted to the brushes by means of the endless belt f and pulley g, as indicated by the arrows.

It is evident that the brushes may be readily raised or lowered during the operation of cleaning, as the weighted pulleyH counterbalances the weight of the same, and always maintains the required tension in the endless belt for the transmission of the power to the brush-pulley. The brushes may be swung horizontally half around, whereby the belt f is twisted, but not enough to impair its operation. The brushes may also be moved forward or backward, as required, the guide Dpreventing the belt from running off the pulleys O and C during this movement. The brushes may be further swung vertically by turning the bearing K upon the pivots I, so that all required positions may be assumed by the brushes without interfering with the transmission of power thereto.

It is obvious that only one brush may be used, if desired; but we prefer to use two, so that one brush will be used on one side of the animal, while the other one will be used on the opposite side thereof, thus dispensing with a device for reversing the motion of the apparatus, which will be required ifonly one brush is employed.

Instead of a brush a curry-comb, rubber, or other cleaning device may be secured to the shaft g; or several of these devices may be combined in the same instrument.

The weight It is preferably provided with a loop, 19, engaging with one or more guide-bars, q, to prevent twisting of the endless cord f.

We claim as our invention- 1. The combination, with the rotary brush Gr, pulley. g, main shaft a, driving-pulley O, and loose pulley G, of the guide-pulleys F F, weighted tension-pulley H, and endless belt f, as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

2. The combination, with the endless belt f and brush-pulley g, of the case I provided with guide-rollers i for securing the belt against displacement while the brush is being operated at any desired angle, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

3. The combination, with the brush G, pulley g, and tube 1 provided with guide-rollers z, of the bearing K K hinged to the tube I and provided with guide-rollers 70, so as to enable the brushes to be swung vertically without impairing the transmission of motion, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

1 4. The combination, with the main shaft a,

driving-pulleys G G, and endless belt f, of the perforated guide D provided with friction-rollers d, substantially as and for the purpose herein before set forth.

5. The combination, with the driving-pulley g and shaft 9, of two brushes arranged on opposite sides of the pulley g, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

OSCAR W. ALLISON. PAUL HOMELIUS.

\Vitnesses:

EDWARD WILHELM, J OHN J. BONNER. 

